Box Hill Central Activities Area Car Parking Strategy

The Box Hill Transit City Activity Centre Structure Plan (the Box Hill Structure Plan), adopted by Council in June 2007, is Whitehorse City Council’s primary guiding document for future development in the Box Hill Central Activities Area.

The Box Hill Structure Plan promotes the use of sustainable transport and more effective use of existing car parking. It also recommends that further investigation be undertaken in relation to car parking. Whitehorse City Council has therefore engaged consultants to complete a comprehensive study of car parking within the Box Hill Central Activities Area and, based on these findings, prepare a car parking strategy for the centre.

Box Hill Central Activities Area Car Parking Strategy

Council adopted the Box Hill Central Activities Area Car Parking Strategy (6.78MB)at its meeting of 23 June 2014. At this meeting Council considered the feedback received during the consultation period held in March/April 2014, and thanked submitters for their input. The aim of the project was to study and respond to matters associated with car parking. This included identifying existing and potential future car parking availability, and recommending actions to address any constraints and shortfalls, balanced with broader objectives of sustainability, community enhancement and economic vitality.

The Box Hill Car Parking Strategy will work in conjunction with the existing Box Hill Structure Plan. The Box Hill Car Parking Strategy makes recommendations about providing and managing car parking for each of the precincts identified within the Box Hill CAA.

Key Findings

Some of the key findings of the study are as follows:

Existing car parking supply

There are approximately 13,087 car parking spaces in the study area. Of these, about 4172 spaces are on-street (32 per cent of total supply) and 8915 spaces are in off-street car parks (68 per cent of total supply).

Of the total car parking supply of 13,087 spaces, there are 135 very short-term spaces (less than one hour) (1 per cent), 2833 short-term spaces (one to three hours inclusive) (22 per cent), 5946 long-term spaces (greater than four hours) (45%) and 4173 other spaces (private, disabled and permit) (32 per cent).

Based on the parking surveys carried out as part of the study, the highest demand for car parking for the whole of the study area occurred at 1pm on a Thursday in December 2012. At this time, 64 per cent of all car parking spaces in Box Hill CAA were in use.

Some areas in Box Hill CAA, particularly those associated with the Box Hill Institute and medical precinct, are reaching full capacity, with 75 per cent to 84 per cent of car parking spaces in those precincts in use during the highest demand time. In other precincts, use of car parking spaces can drop to as low as between 25 per cent and 49 per cent during the peak demand period.

Meeting car parking needs into the future

Future land use growth projections based on the Structure Plan indicate that car parking demands could increase by approximately 2500 car spaces at any one time throughout the day. This means that approximately 82 per cent of existing car parking spaces would be occupied at the peak time on a typical weekday, up from the existing 64 per cent.

Where specific car parking projects are needed to accommodate future development growth or ‘fix’ existing identified problems, policy and funding options are available.

The study notes that it is important to ensure that current parking resources are appropriately managed to provide a more ‘balanced’ allocation and location of car parking for all users across the study area.

Key Recommendations

The project has made 38 recomendations relating to:

The availability and adequacy of all current car parking spaces, including all private, commercial, public and institutional parking within the study area

The forecast car parking needs within the study area for the next 15 years based upon likely future development in the precinct, broader sustainability objectives and the provision of car parking based on the recommended parking delivery rates/numbers

An examination of the economic, social and community benefit in increasing public space and business trading areas to include extended footpath and paving treatments as an alternative to existing, allocated street car parking spaces

The nature and suitability of existing parking restrictions and management

Compliance with existing parking restrictions and enforcement

An audit of parking signage and the need for potential replacement/removal of signage or the introduction of new signage in designated areas

The structure and application of the existing visitor and resident parking permit scheme

What’s Next?

Council will now seek an amendment to the Whitehorse Planning Scheme to introduce new car parking requirements by development type for new development proposals within the Box Hill Central Activities Area. For more details about the amendment, please refer to Amendment C158.

More Information

If you have any questions about the Box Hill Car Parking Strategy, please contact the Strategic Planning Unit on 9262 6303.